Living on a Prayer
Huh? The 12th what? It’s really a fascinating story…let’s post a summary.
One of the differences between Sunni and Shi’ite Islam is that the latter, who dominate Iran and form the majority in Iraq, believe that Allah shielded or hid Muhammad al-Mahdi as the Twelfth Imam until the end of time. Shi’ites expect the Twelfth Imam, which Jews and Christians would recognize as a messianic figure, to return to save the world when it had descended into chaos. Shi’ite orthodoxy has it that humans are powerless to encourage the Twelfth Imam to return. However, in Iran a group called the Hojjatieh believe that humans can stir up chaos to encourage him to return. Ayatollah Khomeini banned the group in the early 1980s because they rejected one of the primary commitments of the Iranian revolution: the concept of Vilayat-i Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist). In other words, they opposed the notion of an Islamic republic because it would hinder the Twelfth Imam’s return on account of it being too just and peaceful.
Ack…hinder his return because “too just and peaceful”. While Christianity may have their kooks…I don’t see Bush saying in a public setting he wants such chaos…though liberal theories certainly have their own arena surrounding such debate. Thanks to Hugh Hewitt for the quick quote, and the summary of Ahmadinejad had to say in front of the entire world an the UN today.
“I am emphatically declare that today’s world more than ever before longs for just and righteous people with love for all humanity, and above all longs for the perfect, righteous human being and the real savior who has been promised to all peoples and who will establish justice, peace and brotherhood on the planet. [The Twelfth Imam] Oh Almighty God, all men and women are your creatures and you have ordained their guidance and salvation. Bestow upon humanity that thirst for justice, the perfect human being promised to all by you, and make us among his followers among those who strive for his return and his cause.”
Given…Christians pray…Atheists even pray when they gamble…but I think we just hit a new plateau here.
I just hope this wasn’t a Call to Arms, so to speak, to all Muslims of the world watching their dear Ahmajaksldnfasdlknf;l speak at the U.N. It’s either disguised as prayer for that purpose, disguised as a Call to Arms to wacky conspiracy theorists (I’m sure they’re out there) to trigger a psychological response by the West to initiate an attack, or disguised as a truce between Islam and Christianity via the diplomatic, respectful mocking of George. W. Bush for the mere sake of mocking him.
Or maybe he just had a little of what Willie Nelson had last night…
What what?! You just made me google Willie Nelson…I am saddened by his actions…and I offer his family my condolances for his being pinched for a pinch.
Ramadan is coming up on the 24th of Sept…we’ll see…
Being a bit of a closet anarchist, till I just outted myself, which of course means I can suffer great personal angst at even greater public expense (paypal at youare@anidiot.com, catch me on Larry King later this week, Oprah next week and CNN every day for the next 15 minutes, and on the floor of the Senate wearing a jockstrap on my head till a special commission investigates and determines the obvious, yes he is a closet anarchist)…on being a closet anarchist (sorry I Sheehaned on you).
I think there is something to be said for the benefit of tumult on human times. Actually there is nothing new here, we’ve been getting crazy over the centuries as our continued existence on this planet required it. Sometimes I think it is better to burn it all down and start over. It stops the current mess and gives the people the silly impression that they have a chance to concentrate on creating a new mess, which will eventually need to be burned down and and and…repeata por favore’ (I’m Kalifornian so I need to practice my native tongue and bad spelling as often as I can).
Sheeeeehannn the non-believers…
Sheeeeehannn the non-believers…
Burn It All Down,
GoingThere
Going There, that sounds slightly more difficult than a simple Religious Cleansing though. I say we start at the more possible and work our way towards your goal. Perhaps, once we’ve accomplished one, we’ll be that much closer to accomplishing the other.
Simple religous cleansing, is that like washing up after a Bris?
A simple religous cleansing is the very definition of burning “it” all down. “It” for the current “bad guys” is an Islamic based culture, and Judeo-Christian based culture for the current “good guys”. Pick one, let’s give it a simple religious cleansing, now what remains and what was washed down the drain?
Please don’t argue about the basis for each of the competing cultures till you think about it thus making arguing the facts not necessary. (SMIRK)
Mr. Clean is,
GoingThere
Hm…something tells me that Ahmadinejad is playing a game here. I hope people see through his charade. Isn’t this the same guy toying with nukes? Isn’t this the same fella making friends with some of our kookie enemies?
The history of the Sunnis and the Shi’ites is interesting, as is the fact that the three main world religions share a history (Abram). Isn’t it interesting the way in which each group has evolved (or not evolved)? Just a thought.
Going There, I’m not sure who, but one of us is misunderstanding the other. My definition of Religious Cleansing might not have been clear. Or perhaps I’m the one who’s misunderstanding you.
There can be only one…or some such notional quote. Religious cleansing can mean what else…
Together maybe we are,
GoingThere
Ah, the immense power of my words doth diminish with each and every explanation, so I’ll let the remaining remnants of my Biblical Miracle of a message carry on rather than evaporate.